(Tempe) - Arizona high school students will prepare to enter the workforce by learning integral business skills, such as interviewing techniques, resume writing, ethics, problem solving and interpersonal communications through an innovative program called “JA You’re Hired!” The program, now in its fifth year, was developed by Junior Achievement of Arizona (JAAZ) and presented by University of Phoenix. The event is scheduled for March 28 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

In preparation for the full-day event in Phoenix, students from throughout Arizona will complete various assignments with the help of Junior Achievement volunteers and the “JA You’re Hired!” curriculum. The comprehensive workforce readiness classroom lessons are made possible through a grant by Quicken Loans.

This year’s “JA You’re Hired!” event will bring more than 300 students from 17 Arizona high schools together for a series of workshops and competitions that focus on job aptitude and competence, business networking, entrepreneurship and essential work readiness skills. In addition, hiring managers from over a dozen Arizona companies including those from the financial, education, technology, nonprofit, retail and business sectors, among others – will be on site to talk with students. Many of the employers present offer summer internships through JA for eligible students who apply through their involvement in the “JA You’re Hired!” program.

“Junior Achievement of Arizona is committed to helping students achieve their full potential by providing them with the practical, real-world knowledge needed to compete in a growingly diverse economy,” said Melissa Leasher, director of program development for JAAZ. “Students develop skills that help them enter and succeed in the job market, volunteers make a positive difference, and our business partners have a selection of diverse young talent from which to build their future workforce.”

This year’s “JA You’re Hired!” program is made possible thanks to the generous support of University of Phoenix and community partners such as Triton Technologies, Crexendo, US Bank, GoDaddy among others.

Junior Achievement is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which believes that every child deserves an education in economics and finances in order to inspire and prepare them for success in a global economy. Serving Arizona’s youth since 1957, JA prepares young people for the real world by showing them how to become self-sufficient, how to create jobs which make their communities robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Junior Achievement of Arizona reached more than 98,000 students during the 2012-2013 school year. For more information on Junior Achievement or ways to get involved, please call 480-377-8500 or visit www.jaaz.org.

About Junior Achievement (JA)

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 4.2 million students per year in more than 120 markets across the United States, with an additional 6.5 million students served by operations in 117 other countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.

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